Saturday, July 19, 2008

30 years after the birth of the first tube baby, innovations in reproductive medicine does not seem to stop. In vitro fertilisation (IVF), leads so far to moral, ethical and medical discssions. Although the technique has been improved, it is expensive and needed several attempts, several ova and embryos to succeed. Several researchers respond now to questionnaires of Helen Pearson (Nature), in relation to trends in this area, for the next 30 years: Davor Solter(Institute of Medical Biology/Singapore) 1) sperm and ova will be derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (IPS) (obtained from skin or other cells, with potential to develop into any body cell), combined each other to create human embryos, so that every person regardless of age (newborns or people of 100 years or more) may have children. 2) If these embryos are able to be cultivated, many problems will disappear. We could then introduce any genetic modification and create cell lines that will dissapear mutations. It will be posible also derived mutant embryos for research purposes. 3) Will be used artificial placentas, to have desired progeny. It will be completed a full ectogénesis (fetal development in artificial uterus outside the body), avoiding premature births. Alan Trounson, (Institute for Regenerative Medicine.Ca/San Francisco). 4) We will extend the period of fertile women through IPS technology and variants of nuclear transfer. There will be stem cell banks for very young people to avoid accumulation of genetic errors at late age. 5) Artificial chromosomes and genetic cassettes will be inserted into human embryo with genetic diseases (Huntington's, Parkinson's). The costs of IVF, down considerably. Susannah Baruch, (Reproductive Genetics/Johns Hopkins University). 6) Reiterates the already in use preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to discover unique genetic disorders 7) It will be bet on babies to design, to improve their health. Alastair Sutcliffe(Pediatric/University College London). 8) Ii will be needed to know whether changes will have epigenetic effects (changes in the way that genes are expressed). It is believed that Beckwith Wiedemann syndrome, is more common in children conceived by IVF. Scott Gelfand, (Ethics Center/Oklahoma State University). 9) Babies will survive after 12 weeks (currently only survive after 22 weeks). Miodrag Stojkovic, (Prince Philip Centre of Investigation/Valencia, Spain) 10) Will be reproductive cloning of babies, but the goal is not to obtain copies of them, but the derivation of stem cells, not to be rejected by the patient's immune system. The pluripotentiality also has disadvantages (cancer). Zev Rosenwaks(Reproductive Medicine and Infertility/New York). It will be possible to eradicate infertility. It is the time of artifical gametes. Natural ova, have reached the limit of their biology. VIF is expected to reach 70% of success, with one cycle, but nobody can ensure that the embryo will be normal. It is expected to have embryo growth media and techniques of micro-image to observe the chromosome make-up. Régine Sitruk-Ware (Population Council/New York) 11) Many current methods of contraception have side effects and are not effective. It will be tested non-hormonal methods of contraception among women and men (arrest of maturation of egg or sperm entry into the egg).